Beginner's Guide to nutrition

Why nutrition matters

A healthy, balanced diet is essential for energy, longevity, and overall wellbeing. However, in today’s food environment—where convenience often outweighs nutrition—many Australians fall short of the recommended dietary guidelines.

The Eat for Health initiative provides evidence-based recommendations for all healthy Australians, as well as those with common health conditions such as being overweight. Following the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs) can help improve overall diet and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Did you know?

• Many Australians get around one-third of their daily energy from discretionary foods (processed foods high in added sugar, salt, or saturated fat).

• Fewer than 7% meet the daily recommended vegetable intake.

• Nearly half of Australians exceed the recommended limit for added sugars, mostly from soft drinks, sweets, and snack foods.

Simple steps to improve your diet

Nutrition often seems complicated and confusing, but it can actually be quite simple. Here are some easy tips you can start with today:

1. Focus on whole foods – choose minimally processed items like vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean proteins, and whole grains.

2. Cook more meals at home – gain control of ingredients and portion sizes, and keep a few go-to recipes you can rotate through the week.

3. Eat the rainbow – include fruits and vegetables of different colours for a variety of essential nutrients.

4. Stock pantry staples – keep items like oats, rice, canned beans, frozen vegetables, eggs, and lean proteins on hand. These make it easier to throw together quick, healthy meals.

5. Drink water – prioritise water over sugary drinks to support energy, digestion, and overall wellbeing.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADGs)

The ADGs provide practical recommendations on what foods to eat, and in what amounts, for Australians to maintain health and wellbeing.

• View the full guidelines → Complete official guidelines from the Australian Government.

• Guidelines summary → A concise overview of all five guidelines, easy to print or reference.

Guideline 1: Balance Energy and Stay Active

To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs.

Everything we eat and drink provides energy, measured in kilojoules (kJ) or calories (Cal).

• 1 Calorie = 4.2 kilojoules

• A kilojoule is simply the metric unit of energy — the fuel our body uses for every function, from thinking to moving.

Your energy needs depend on age, sex, body size, muscle mass, and activity level. You can estimate your daily requirements using the Eat for Health Energy Calculator.

When it comes to body weight:

• Energy surplus – eating more energy than you burn leads to weight gain over time.

• Energy deficit – eating less energy than you use leads to weight loss.

• Energy balance – when intake matches expenditure, your weight is maintained.

The goal isn’t to count every kilojoule — it’s to understand how food choices and portion sizes affect your overall energy balance and to prioritise nutritious foods that support long-term health and strength.

Guideline 2: Enjoy a Variety of Nutritious Foods

Eat a wide variety of foods from the five main groups and drink plenty of water.

• Plenty of vegetables, including different types and colours, and legumes/beans 

• Fruit

• Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties, such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, polenta, couscous, oats, quinoa and barley

• Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes/beans

• Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat (reduced fat milks are not suitable for children under the age of 2 years)

And drink plenty of water.

Eating a variety of foods from the five food groups is important, as each group provides unique nutrients and health benefits:

1. Vegetables and legumes/beans – rich in fibre, vitamins, and minerals that support digestion, heart health, and disease prevention.

2. Fruit – provides vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants for immune and cellular health.

3. Grain foods (mostly wholegrain) – supply energy, B vitamins, and fibre to support gut and metabolic health.

4. Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and alternatives – provide protein, iron, and essential fats that help build and repair muscles and tissues.

5. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, and alternatives – key sources of calcium and protein for strong bones, teeth, and muscles.

Helpful tools:

• Visual Guide to Healthy Eating → A simple plate visual showing the five food groups and their recommended proportions.

• Recommended Serves Calculator → Calculate how many serves of each food group you need per day.

• Serving Sizes Guide → Reference for serving sizes of each food group.

Later sections will explore how the remaining guidelines — on limiting discretionary foods and food safety — fit into your everyday nutrition. Guideline 4: Encourage, support and promote breastfeeding will not be covered. See the Infant Feeding Guidelines for further information.

Am I getting enough protein?

Eating in line with the Australian Dietary Guidelines will typically meet your body’s needs for macronutrients — the nutrients we require in larger amounts for energy and daily function.

Macronutrients include:

• Protein – repairs and builds body tissues, supports muscle growth, and helps you feel full for longer.

• Carbohydrates – the body’s main energy source, fuelling the brain, muscles, and activity.

• Fats – essential for hormone production, brain health, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

Most people meet their protein needs simply by eating a balanced diet that includes all five food groups. However, active individuals or those aiming to build muscle may benefit from slightly higher protein intake to support recovery and growth.

Helpful tools:

• Daily Nutrient Requirements Calculator → Use this tool to check your recommended macro- and micronutrient needs based on your age, activity level, and lifestyle.

• Nutrient Reference Values → Evidence-based recommendations for nutrient intake to support health and prevent chronic disease in Australia and New Zealand.

Grocery shopping and meal preparation

Planning ahead makes healthy eating easier. Healthy eating starts at the grocery store — the choices you make when shopping set you up for success. Stocking up on nutritious foods and mastering a few simple recipes lets you enjoy healthy, home-cooked meals.

Grocery shopping tips:

• Make a list and stick to it

• Buy in-season produce

• Compare labels and choose lower sodium/sugar options

Meal preparation tips:

• Batch cook grains and proteins

• Freeze leftovers for easy future meals

• Keep quick, healthy staples on hand

More helpful tips:

• Food Shopping Tips → Practical tips for efficient and healthy shopping.

• Healthy Eating on a Budget → Simple strategies to eat well without overspending.

• Quick & Easy Meals → Ideas for fast meals that meet nutrition guidelines.

• Meal Planning → How to plan meals for a week or month ahead. Includes sample meal plans for men, women and children.

• Healthy Recipes → Easy, nutritious recipes for home cooking.

Guideline 3: Limit Discretionary Foods

a. Limit intake of foods high in saturated fat such as many biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks.

b. Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added salt.

c. Limit intake of foods and drinks containing added sugars such as confectionary, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks.

d. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake. For women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

Practical tips to reduce discretionary foods:

• Replace sugary drinks with water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea.

• Swap high-fat snacks with fruit, nuts, or air-popped popcorn.

• Limit takeaway meals and choose homemade options with wholefood ingredients.

• Read food labels to compare products and choose lower sugar, lower salt, and lower saturated fat options.

• Use smaller plates or bowls to help control portions.

• See the Discretionary Food Guide for more helpful tips.

How to read food labels:

• Food labels guide → Comprehensive guide on how to understand food labels and make informed food choices.

• Food label poster → Detailed explanation of the nutrition label features and what they mean.

When preparing meals at home, following basic food safety practices protects your family from foodborne illness and keeps your meals fresh and nutritious.

Guideline 5: Food Safety

Care for your food; prepare and store it safely.

Food safety tips:

• Keep raw and cooked foods separate – avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards, knives, and containers.

• Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces – always wash hands before handling food, and clean all surfaces and tools after use.

• Refrigerate perishables promptly – store foods that spoil quickly, like meat, dairy, and prepared meals, in the fridge or freezer within two hours.

• Check use-by and storage instructions – follow labels to ensure foods are safe to eat.

• Thaw safely – defrost foods in the fridge or microwave, never at room temperature.

• See the Food Safety Guidelines for detailed guidance on safe food handling, storage, and preparation.